Nalanda Gedige
The archaeological site located in the village of Nalanda in Matale district, Sri Lanka is a popular tourist site among the locals due to its unique stone-built Buddha image house known as Nalanda Gedige (Sinhala: නාලන්දා ගෙඩිගේ; Tamil: நாலந்த கெடிகே). The site can be reached by travelling about 1.4 km distant along the Gedige road that commences at Nalanda junction located on the Matale - Dambulla highway. History
Situated in a central position almost equidistant from the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa , and Kandy, Nalanda was a strategic military position during the campaigns of Sinhalese kings and even of British rulers (Prematilleke, 1985). The Great Chronicle, Mahawamsa records that Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A.D.), before his enthronement, had built a fortress at Nalanda during his wars against Gajabahu II of Polonnaruwa (1131-1153 A.D.) and Manabharana of Magama (Prematilleke, 1985). As well as British rulers had built a military station at Nalanda during the rebe…
